In early June every year, in luxury hotels and resorts a elite of politicians, entrepreneurs, bankers, technocrats and intellectuals gather away from the spotlight. Is the infamous Bilderberg Club – We would say, perhaps, the most mysterious and much -talked -about power encounter in the modern world that has often been accused of deciding the future of humanity.
This elite group meets every year in luxury hotels and resorts around the world – usually in Europe – and once every four years in the US or Canada. Very few details are released on exactly what is being discussed in camera.
No one knows what is said in the Bildenberg Club, they are not practically held in these meetings and none of the journalists invited to attend them He never wrote what he saw and what he heard there …
The birth of the club, the list of the chosen and the agenda
The first meeting of the Bilderberg Club 1954 – From 29 to 31 May – At the Bilderberg Hotel in Osterbeck, the Netherlands, where it was named.
Among her founding members was the Polish diplomat and businessman Joseph Script and the David Rockefellerthe well -known bankers’ family. The reason that prompted them to start meetings was the growing anti -Americanism in Western Europe.
Rittinger has essentially proposed an international conference that leaders of European countries and the United States will gather and meet, with the aim of promoting the understanding between the cultures of the United States of America and Western Europe.
Since then, each year they gathered approximately 120-150 people In a different place, always with absolute secrecy. Impressive is the element that while It is well known who are involved, there is absolute secrecy of what they are discussing.
The location where the members of the club meet is changing every year. In fact, the members of the club met and in Athens (May 14-16, 2009).
The list of guests is not announced in advance and changes every year – although some persons come back firmly. Includes leaders of state and governments, leading economists, media managers, technology tycoons, bankers, academics.
Of course, there are many Greeks who have occasionally taken part in club meetings.
According to Wikipedia, some of them are: Stefanos Manos, Dora Bakoyannis, Konstantinos Mitsotakis, Theodoros Pangalos, George Papakonstantinou, George Papandreou, Alexis Papachelas etc..
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis He was to participate in this year’s Bilderberg Club meeting in Stockholm of Sweden, for the first time in the capacity of prime minister, as he had re -involved in 2018 in Turin since the position of opposition leader, and the first time he participated in 2016 in Dresden. But developments in the Middle East after Israel’s attack on Iran canceled his plans.
The club operates with the so -called Chatham House Rule: Participants can use the information they hear, but they cannot disclose who said it. This offers – according to the organizers – a secure framework for honest debate, without political costs.
However, for many, this is exactly the problem. The complete absence of transparency raises suspicion.
Many critics – among the journalists, analysts and background researchers – argue that this is about An informal world government or a club where strategies are coordinated in politics, economics and war, far from democratic institutions.
Although official themes are usually released shortly before the meeting, the real contents of the discussions remain a sealed secret. Issues such as artificial intelligence, geopolitical tensions, energy crisis, world economy, cyber thicks and climate change are almost always on the agenda.
OR time The meetings have also raised questions: For example, in 2008, many present at the Bilderberg meeting took on important roles in the banks’ crisis a few months later.
According to Joel Levi, club members determine who will take power in Europe and America. Almost the British prime ministers and US presidents of the last 50 years had attended a meeting of Bilderberg at the beginning of their career. “Obviously the Bilderberg team decides who will be future leaders, prepare them for powerapplies its extensive network of influence to ensure their rise and controls the media and the economy to ensure their election … Bilderberg meetings also determine the course of world history.
For example, at such a gathering it was agreed to declare war on Serbia and again there was the green light to the Bush- Elder and younger- for their movements in the Persian Gulf. “
Of course, the members of the club do not accept everything they blame. Their events are private and not secretas some claim. Privacy is necessary so that guests can talk freely and open.
For the same reason there is confidentiality, but not hiding information, as they argue. Security is essential for high -ranking guests. Participants discuss loosely and no political decisions are made.
The assurances and the charm of the mystery
Despite assurances, some argue that the Bilderberg Club is the “vestibule” of world power, where leaders are judged and planned global impact policies.
Others reject it as a cosmic club of wealthy and powerful who exchange ideas without binding nature.
The truth may be somewhere in the middle. Although there is no evidence that official decisions are made, the fact that people with so much power and influence and in secret – maintains mystery and curiosity.
In 2024, in Madrid, Spain, the Bildenberg Club celebrated its 70th anniversary. The meeting took place in great secrecy at the Mirasierra Hotel in the Spanish capital.
The rich themes included: artificial intelligence and geopolitical balance, war in Ukraine, energy transition, rise of China. At the meeting of Madrid was attended by international personalities of politics, the economy (industry, banks, etc.), the media and the academic world.
Indicatively, Citigroup’s CEO, the Presidents of the KKR Business Fund, the Pfizer, Google or Microsoft pharmaceutical company, head of Bloomberg, New York Times and Financial Times, Managers of Goldman Sachs, Warner Brosen, Heineken, Heineken Societé Générale Bank or Ryanair’s chief executive.
The European Commission, NATO and the UN had significant delegations, as did the energy sector (Shell, BP, Totalenergies). The list of the guests were still the president of Finland, the prime minister of Estonia and several Poland ministers, Sweden and Norway. The current Minister of Labor and Social Security Niki Kerameos also gave present.
Over the years there are many famous participants:
- Bill Clinton – He allegedly participated shortly before he was elected US president.
- Tony Blair – He had participated in 1993, two years before becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
- Henry Kissinger – Perhaps the most regular and influential participant for decades.
- Emmanuel Macron – Before the birth of the “en Marche” party, it is said to have contacts with members of the club.
- Ursula von der Layen – I was present at meetings before taking over the leadership of the Commission.
In addition, they have been involved in executives from time to time:
- IMF and World Bank
- Goldman Sachs, Jpmorgan and Deutsche Bank
- Technological giants like Google, Facebook, Amazon
- Media such as The Economist, Financial Times, New York Times
Famous Conspiracy Theories
The absolute secrecy that covers these meetings has led to many conspiracy theories that are reinforced by the fact that there is never any information about their content, no meeting is recorded, and the participants are accompanied by neither advisers nor bodyguards or spouses.
They can’t even use their IX.
One of them is that ‘The Club rules the world’. According to this theory, participants make decisions about global events: financial judgments, governments’ changes, wars.
There is no evidence, but the time proximity of some events has triggered speculations.
Another theory says that in the secret meetings of the Club “Future leaders are selected.”
Many politicians have participated in the club shortly before they take on a leading role – such as Tony Blair or Bill Clinton. This has led to suspicions that the club “approves” leaders before the polls.
Theorists argue that the club is linked to plans for unification of powers, eliminating national borders and the imposition of a single currency or digital identity.
Still, some are seeing Bilderberg as a major financial shock lab – from the euro to the 2008 financial crisis.
When the strongest on the planet are concentrated behind closed doors, suspicion and myth are inevitable.
The Bildeberg Club is intrigued. Maybe because it combines all the elements of a good story: it has mystery, power, influence and exclusivity. Or maybe because in a world where trust in institutions is eroded, closed doors give birth to more shadows.